As is frequently found on many automobiles, a windshield wiper arm presses a wiper blade against the windshield and the tension is controlled by a simple, non-adjustable retraction spring. Usually, the wiper arm can be positioned away from the windshield (to service the wiper blade) by moving the arm to a position at which the retraction spring is not effective. The arm, however, cannot be said to be securely held away from the windshield at that point. On some vehicles, the arm must be held away from the windshield against the pull of the retraction spring.